Fish-bait.



J. W. DICKENS.

FISH BAIT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-29.1916.

J1. ,25%,97 Patented J an. 22, 1918.

I WITNESSES.- 2144/ INVENTOR.

JOHN DICKENS, 0F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

FISH-BAIT.

nastiest.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented dan22,1@185.

Application filed January 29, 1am. derial No. 75,044.

a citizen of the United States of America,

and resident of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fish-Baits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in artificial baits for fish and the objects thereof are: first, to afiord a bait of its class that may be operated by drawing it along the surface of the water or at a depth beneath the surface; second, to so construct the device that its movement as it is drawn through the water will tend to divert laterally in alternate directions from the line in which it is drawn and third to so form the head of the devlce as to cause a pronounced rifle upon the surface of the water as it is drawn adjacent thereto.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bait with the head adjusted to the position for under-water use;

Fig. 2 is a similar view in longitudinal central section, and with the head adjusted to position for surface use;

- Fig. 3 is a detail viewshowing the rear end of the adjustable head; and

Fig. 4 is a section of the adjustable head on the line m-m of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same:

1 is the main portion of the body of the bait and (2) is the head portion, both of which are mounted upon a spine (3), consisting of a wire, that extends through the axial center of the body and head portions. The rear end of the wire (3) is bent into the form of a loop (4:) and has connected therewith a tail-hook (5). The forward end of the. wire (3) has a hook (6) formed thereon, the end of which is embedded in the front of the head, the hook afi'ording the meansfor the attachment of a fish-line.

A lateral opening (7) is made in the body through which links (8) extend and connect with the spine the lateral hooks the lower portion of the body (1) in the front end thereof is made a recess (10).that is lined with a bushing (11), and within the (9). lln.

recess is a spring (12) that acts against a ball (13) so as to press the latter against the adjacent inner face of the head (2). The head has upon its inner face two recesses (1 1) and (15) spaced equally distant from the axial center thereof and adapted to partially receive the ball (13) when brought into alinement therewith as the head is turned and thereby tend to hold the head in the adjusted relationship with the body.

The body and head are made of buoyant material, such as wood and the ball and ap- 'purtenances associated therewith are of metal and comparatively heavy, and serve to some extent as ballast which tends to hold the device in balanced position when thrown into the water. Thus, that portion of the body containing the ball will at all times be lowermost, while the head (2), be-

cause of its adjustability by turning from one position to the other may be made to present its curved receding face (16) upwardly or downwardly as desired.

A material feature of the invention comprises the peculiar formation of the face (16) of the head (2), the face being formed with longitudinal convex curvature from a point (A) upon one side of the head and receding therefrom to a point (B) upon the opposite side thereof as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a concave lateral curvature as shown in Fig. 4:. The face thus formed has the tendency, when the bait is drawn through the water, first, to cause the bait to take an irregular wavering course; second, to direct the bait toward the surface of the water or cause it to tend to a depth beneath the surface accordingly as the head is adjusted; and third, especially when the head is adjusted for using the device as a surface bait to form a peculiar rifile upon the surface of the water and leave a pronounced wake. This latter tendency is due to the combined efiect of the transverse concavity in the face of the head which has the effect of diverting the encountered breast of water toward the receding convexity thereof, and this effect .is materially enhanced owing to the extenlllll mil;

lltl

lating the erratic movements of a frightened minnow.

What I claim is .1. In a device of the class described, a

body portion, a revolubly adjustable head portion, a splne extending through the body and head portions holding the same together, a series of hooks in connection with the device, and a sprin pressed weight in the body portionbearmg against the adjacent face of the head ortion, there being recesses formed in the head portion for the enga ement of the wei ht, said head ortion aving a concave ace extending om a point on one side of its axis and. receding therefrom to a point upon the opposite side thereof.

2. An artificial bait comprisin a body portion, a series of hooks in connection therewith, and a head portion having a face that is transversely concave and longitudinally convex extendin from a point upon one side of the axis t ereof and recedin therefrom to a point upon the opposlte side thereof.

3. An artificial bait comprising head-and body portions, and a series of hooks in connection therewith, the head portion having a face that is transversely concave and longitudinally convex commencing at a point upon one side of its axis and receding therefrom to a point upon the opposite side thereof.

4. In an artificial bait, a body portion, a head portion, a wire extending through the axial centers of the body and head portions connecting the two portions together, a spring pressed weight within the lower front end of'the body portion adapted to bear against the adjacent face of the head or,- tion, and hooks in connection with the body portion.

5. An which presents a face that is transversely concave and longitudinally convex commencing at oneside of the axial center and recedin therefrom to a point upon the opposite s1de thereof.

In testimon whereof I afiix mysignature, in presence 0 two witnesses.

JOHN w. DICKENS. Witnesses:

MATILDA Mm'rmn, Sorn A HEINE.

artificial bait the head portion of- 

